1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wave activated power generation system having a pump and a movable piston therein, the pump being connected to a water-driven motor for the supply of energy to a generator, the piston being displaced in the cylinder by action of wave energy on a float body, which pump is a single-acting pump designed to be located on the sea bottom, the piston of the pump being connected to the float body by means of a flexible connection effective exclusively to transfer tensile force and of such a length that in the mounted state of the system the float body is located at the sea surface, the pumping chamber of the pump being connected to a suction chamber via a valve arrangement, which suction chamber in the mounted state of the system communicates with the surrounding sea through the hydraulic motor.
2. The Prior Art
A wave activated power generation system of the above type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,618. According to this prior art, the suction chamber is located under or after the outlet port of the hydraulic motor and the system is arranged in such a manner that a void can be provided under the outlet port or after the outlet port in the pumping chamber. In order to make the prior art system work the pump must be able to produce a pressure in the suction chamber which is lower than the pressure of saturated water vapor at the temperature prevailing in the suction chamber. In other words, the pressure should be reduced below the temperature which prevails in the suction chamber so as to cause boiling, thereby forming the void. Thus, it should be possible to fully utilize the water pressure which prevails at the sea bottom to drive the hydraulic motor. If such a void is formed, it will be possible to use it as a power source in case the sea surface is calm. Even at a low water depth such a system makes heavy demands on the pump in order for the pump to be able to provide the low vapor pressure mentioned above and the hydraulic motor should also be designed in a manner so as to enable it to utilize the generated large pressure difference.